Doll's Dream
by halfhuman123
Summary: Everyone forgets that there's someone Rico loves very much. But what does she feel about him? An ode to "Toy Story"? Perhaps. Finished!
1. Doll's Dream

A/N: So, sitting up, late one night/early one morning, doodling whatever comes to mind, when I get the strange inspiration to draw Rico's doll. After I drew her a bit, I came up with a bit of a story to go along with the picture. Because, well, that's what I have to do in order to draw properly, there's always a story behind the pictures. Anyways, this story came out. No OCs this time, unless you want to count the doll. She'll introduce herself here shortly. It's a one-shot for now, but I may give you more if you want.

**Doll's Dream**

Late at night, when the penguins sleep, I come to life. I know it's hard to believe. I didn't believe it at first either. My name is Dolly. And guess what? I'm a doll. I know, that's a real kicker, right? Shut up. I like my name, thank you very much. I'm sorry if that came across as insulting. I didn't mean it. It's just… most times, I'm trapped. Living a life I never chose in a place I never go out of. It's so dull. The only other thing I can talk to is Pappy. He hangs out on the wall. Literally.

It's not as if I hate my life. I love it. I love… I have to stop to gently squeak my head over to look at the wall of bunks. Rico is there. Sleeping soundly. I know if I were real, I'd be blushing. He's perfect. He loves me, and takes care of me, and… well, quite frankly, makes me feel alive.

He doesn't know the truth, he thinks I'm a toy he can love. I am, I know.

But I'm also different. I am, I know!

I want to be able to prove that I'm able to love back. I know I can. Because I do. I love him back with all my toy heart. He's still sleeping soundly. They don't know it, but they're all solid sleepers. I walk around, stretching my sore movable parts. They're few and far between, but they still cramp up every now and again.

"Dolly, you up?" Pappy looks over at me, smiling softly. He's the one keeping me most sane. Making sure I don't speak out and scare the penguins. If I didn't have him to talk to, I don't know what I'd—huh? Oh, who's Pappy? Oh.

Pappy is what I call that fish trophy hanging on the wall. That's right, it's a toy too. Only the penguins would see him as some sort of trophy. But I don't mind. I'm quite glad. I started out calling him First Prize, or PFP… But it got tiresome. So I abbreviated it.

I'm creative like that.

That's why I know Rico could love me for me, if I was given the chance. I mean…

Can I tell you a secret?

I have a great imagination. I can imagine what it would be like to be with Rico, like a penguin, and be his mate. We would be happy together. He would teach me about those boom things he likes. I never get to see them, because Skipper makes him use them outside. And I could teach him how to read for real, instead of just telling me about the pictures.

I finally remember Pappy was talking to me, and head over to him, to scratch his head. He likes that. "Yeah, Pappy. I'm up for the night. I was just thinking." I know everyone has those silly stereotypes about how dumb blondes are supposed to be (1), but I'm not like that. I'm a thinker. I love knowing things. I fake being wide awake and open eyed and vapid during the day. I have to, I was designed like that.

Actually, that's why I didn't really fit in with the other ones like me. The other dolls, I mean. I was the one who wanted to study, rather than shop; to know math, not make-up; to solve REAL world problems, not HAIR problems.

For that, I was shunned. Pushed aside, and eventually, locked away by the others.

That was the night I cried myself to sleep. For the first time since being made, I was sad. Sad and lonely and upset and depressed and… Truly alone. No one understood me. Or accepted me for what I was.

Then, Rico came along and found me. And took care of me. He picked me, out of all the other dolls in the toy shop. I know he saw them; he had to pass them to get to me. He could have picked any of them. But he chose me. And I knew then, that he didn't mind that I was different. He wanted different.

I fell in love with him, right then and there.

I know what you're thinking. It's hard enough for you to believe that a doll could love, much less fall in love at first sight. And you're right; it's a hard thing to fathom. But I know what happened, I can feel it.

Pappy eyed me as I crossed the room to get to Rico's bunk. He slept near the top, and I had to climb those difficult steps just to see him. But it was worth the struggle. He was worth the struggle. I messed up a couple of times, but I finally reached where he was sleeping, his head within arm's reach, thankfully. I stroked his head, despite Pappy's hissing warning of "Be careful, girl!" I knew I had to be careful.

I didn't care, but I knew.

His feathers moved a bit when I touched them, and I bet they felt soft. The sad feeling came back. I can't really feel. When he drops me sometimes, on accident of course… or if he brushes my hair too hard… or if I'm left somewhere they say is cold… I can't feel it.

I have to get down, or I'll start to cry. Imagine if you lost every sense of feeling you had, except for emotions. Believe me, after not missing pain, you'd begin to miss the feel of a loved one's gentle caress, or caring stroke. I have to get away from him right now, or I KNOW I'll cry.

The worst part is, I have to go back to smiling, like everything is normal tomorrow. You might think that this must be the saddest existence in the whole world. And you'd be half right. Rico may never know how I feel about him. And I will probably never feel his loving embrace.

But I have him. I walk back to my spot, preparing for when the penguins would wake up again.

I have him. And for now, that's all I need.

DD

* * *

– I don't believe in that whole dumb blonde stereotype, because all the blondes I know on a personal level are actually quite smart. Most of them are smarter than I am. They are even smart enough to recognize a dumb blonde joke when they see it, and laugh at it as well, as they understand the context. So please, if you're blonde, laugh. I'm not insulting you personally; I'm insulting the ridiculousness of that stereotype.

Other than that, please review, tell me what you think! Thanks!


	2. Doll's Night

A/N: Nobody asked for a second chapter, but I felt it was necessary. So here yah go! What's Dolly doing now? Well, let's let her tell you. And, as always, I own nothing. Another chapter? Possible, as long as I still have ideas and time. This story is going to take priority, mainly because I have ideas for it. So… sorry for everything else being pushed aside/away. If you squint your eyes, you might be able to see some similarities to another Disney movie. (The Little Mermaid in my mind)

**Doll's Night**

I blink my eyes again. It's night time, finally. After a long day's rest, it's my turn to be awake. And I know what I want to do tonight.

Rico was talking about how much they got to do up on the surface. I've always looked up at that tiny hole with longing, the one they dart in and out of each morning, and come back through each night. I wanted that world to be my world too. Then I'd have something to share with Rico. I could understand. And besides, I needed to know what it was like.

Pappy warned me of the dangers out there. That so many things could go wrong. And I listened to every one of them. At least, I think I did. I don't remember exactly. All I can remember is climbing up those ladder steps, struggling one step at a time, and finally making it to the top. I half want to look back down at Pappy, but I scolded myself not to.

If I do, I might change my mind and chicken out. And, in the words of Skipper, there's no room for chickens here. After a deep breath (that I really don't need), I push the bowl aside with a small grunt. These arms aren't good for pushing things, but I do it anyway. It slides easily, as if it wanted me to go outside.

When I get outside, the wind nearly pushes me over. I smile into it. I bet it's warm. It's mid-June, so it should be pretty warm. I think.

You know what I really want now? Senses. I want to be able to smell the fresh air, and feel it on me. I want to taste something… something sweet and nice. Again, another opportunity for me to blush, if I had any blood in my body. I knew exactly what I wanted to taste.

I giggled a bit and walked to the edge of the plastic ground, my feet tapping almost musically. Once I get to the edge, I know I have to stop. I don't think I can swim very well, and if I fall into the water and can't get out, Rico will know something was up. Instead, I sit by the edge and let my hand pet the water. It's a strange new sensation, almost like spider webs, something holding me there, but not at the same time. Oh, how I wish I could feel this for real.

I look up and see the moon next. It's a pretty thing, big and round and clean. Almost like a silver piece stuck in the sky. Or, I laugh as I think of my Rico, like a button. One giant button, surrounded by hundreds of tiny, sparkly sequins.

I told you I was smart.

I stayed out there for a long time. I don't even remember how long. But I imagine that I've gone all over the whole zoo, and have seen everything there is to see. I've visited everyone, and they all adore me, and think I'm amazing. Also, they too believe that I am a smart and strange toy, with much to offer. They would think that I am very unique, and that I belong with Rico, because we are both weird in the same way.

By the time I finish with my imagining, it's time I should get back inside. Yes, indeed, the moon has nearly vanished, and the sky is beginning to change colors. I heave a heavy sigh and push back the fishbowl with my foot this time.

I love my life, truly. And I wouldn't leave it for anything in the world, not even the ability to feel and tell Rico… everything on my mind. But a scary thought comes to mind as I awkwardly make my way down those silly steps. What if Rico loves me BECAUSE I can't speak? Would he even care what I had to say? I slip on the second or third to last step and land hard on my backside, saying ouch instinctively, because that's what you do when you fall, even though I don't feel a thing.

Rico wouldn't be like that… would he? Surely not. He's… he's not like that. But I feel my doubt growing. Why can't I find out for sure? I remember a movie Rico once showed me. And I can't help but feeling a little bit like the heroine. Though her problem was another woman in a picture, and mine is… well, I'm a doll and he's a penguin, if you can't see the problem then there's something else, but… I feel we have something in common. I sigh again. If only he could see how special I could be… And the pain here that I feel, try and tell me it's not real.

But he can't… and it is… and therein lies the problem. I scratch Pappy's head once again, not answering his question of am I okay.

I'm not. And I want to go outside again.

* * *

I wait for nightfall, when the penguins are all asleep. Well, barely. I think Private's eyes were still partially open when I began to move. Though, they were closed the split second I look over to make sure. Didn't I want them to know I was alive, though? Have them know that I was real, and not just some doll Rico had a thing for?

After thinking about it for a few seconds, I find I can answer myself quite easily. If they reject me, and cast me out, I have nowhere to go. I have no friends; I know nothing outside this place. Would they do such a thing?

Are you waiting for me to answer? Because I don't want that to happen to me, and I don't know for sure, so… Yeah. Not gonna risk it.

The steps are becoming easier to handle now, I realize. Having gone up them several times now, I can manipulate my own hands to make them climb that silly ladder, and push away the fishbowl. I move it back, and turn to watch the moon again. It's not full anymore, which takes away the button effect… though it's still eerily beautiful. And the stars are still out. I heard Rico say once that they don't always come out. Maybe I'm just lucky to see them.

I just want to lean back and enjoy the night sky, and being out, when I hear a strange sound behind me. Normally I don't hear much, except for the occasional car. This didn't sound exactly like a car, though. It sounded more like something being HIT by a car. I slowly sit up and look around, turning my head all the way back.

Hey, I'm a doll, I can do that.

And I can absolutely, positively say, without a doubt that it's NOT a car that I heard.

Three lemurs were staring at me with wide eyes, in complete and utter disbelief at what they were seeing. I continued to watch them, expecting them to pass out from shock, which would be a normal response. When none of them did, only one thing came to mind.

I'm in trouble.

DN

* * *

A/N: Took some lyrics from "Tears to Shed" From the movie Corpse Bride, which I seem to have an affinity with recently. It's a good movie, what can I say? The next chapters shall all be slightly related to hopefully different Disney movies, mostly because I find they're an awesome source of inspiration. Also, they apply SO well. Either way, leave your questions, comments, suggestions and Frosted Flakes.

...I'm a starving college student, what do you expect?


	3. Doll's Plight

A/N: Dolly's been caught by the real living. Oh. Crap. Maybe she can just LIE her way out of this one. As in, lie down and play doll? …Yeah, I don't think that'll work either. Alright, here we go. Disney movie this time? ALADDIN.

**Doll's Plight**

I didn't know what else to do, I couldn't stay like that forever. Even if they wanted to keep watching me, the penguins would wake up eventually and see me out here with them. Though, I could just stay still, and Rico would think they stole me.

That wouldn't work, though. The penguins almost always know when the lemurs come in. They're not exactly masters of stealth and spy…ness.

So what was a poor doll to do? I sat there for a while longer. Maybe they'd just go away. "Did dat thing just turn its head?" The ring tailed one asked. I recognized him from each time he came in and Skipper yelled at him. I especially remember him from the time Rico lost me to him. He called me Carlotta.

Yeah, didn't like that.

His chubby assistant cocked his head to the side a bit and stared at me. I stared ruthlessly right back, trying not to make any facial expressions. I wouldn't give them that benefit. "I… I don't even know. I mean… I think I saw it move. I might have seen it move. Mort, did you see that thing move?" The mousey, big-bug-eyed one just shivered.

"I see nothing!" He squealed, hiding himself behind his tail. He better NOT have seen anything. Because if he did… well, I don't know what I'd do, but… it wouldn't be pretty!

The ring tail stared at me for a second, before shrugging his shoulders and disregarding it. "Den I guess it really was nothing. Come den, Maurice. We shall be bugging de loud penguins tomorrow, I am feeling de sleepiness right now." I almost giggled with delight; they were just gonna leave! I was the best guard ever!

Once they hippity hopped back over the fence, I stood up and did a bit of a victory dance of my own. I RULE! And, just to top it off… I did a bit of a cheer.

Come on, I was happy.

"Who's the best, uh-huh, uh-huh… Dolly's the best, uh-huh, uh-huh!" I spun around quickly, feeling my celebration was well deserved.

Albeit, premature, as ring tail hopped back over the fence. He was SPYING on me? And… he… tricked me! That sneaky little—"Ah-hah! So you DID move around your head! And you can talk! In funny cheers! Do more again!"That ring tail was a big kill joy. And there was a big chance that he would spill the beans on my little secret.

And by little, I mean huge.

I was trapped within the qualms of my own mind when I realized he was about to touch a very personal area. I frowned. Now that he knew I could move, that was NOT going to fly. I swung my hand as hard as I could toward his face. "HEY! No touching! NO! That is a no-no!" I know it probably sounded childish, but my personal space was super important to me. He gasped, leaping back, and I rushed to follow him, covering his mouth.

"Listen closely. I bet you're wondering what is going on. And I can't tell you that, because… well, it's not exactly clear to me either. All I know is that I'm alive, and YOU have to keep it a secret." If Skipper could sound commanding, then so could I.

Ringtail looked at me, impressed. "Dat is good… now say a cheer about me, your king." Unfortunately, he didn't get it.

I sighed. That was special. The other two lemurs made their presence known too. This whole zoo was full of spies, I nearly screamed! Though, they weren't nearly as obnoxious as the ring tailed one. In fact, they were pretty calm about the whole thing. I sighed once more, though for no other reason than to hear the noise, looking back at the sky. It was nearly day time! I had to go, or I'd be in more trouble than I already was. "Listen, if you promise to keep quiet about me… not being quiet," I had to squeeze that joke in there, sorry if it wasn't very funny. "Then I promise to tell you more about me tonight. Okay?"

I made sure all of them understood exactly what I was saying before I pushed the fish bowl out of the way and simply hopped down. I was already running late, and I had to leave them standing there. Besides, I didn't even feel the landing.

I was barely back in my spot, Pappy glaring daggers at me, probably for making him worry, before the penguins got up and checked their surroundings. Rico checked up on me, giving me the normal morning kiss on the cheek. I know I smiled a bit wider at that, but I didn't care.

Why did I feel so giddy all of a sudden? Was it because I finally had confidants for my secret? The lemurs had accepted me without question and didn't shun me or give me weird looks or anything. Then again, they had nothing to do with me before; maybe they just thought I'd be another playmate. Either way, I was excited to be able to talk to someone else tonight. But… where did that leave Pappy? Alone again another night long.

I felt bad, I really did. But as sundown drew closer, I couldn't wait to leave. Does this make me the worst friend in the world? Wouldn't Pappy want me to be happy? I would want him to be happy if he were in my position. And I knew whatever he said wouldn't change what I would be doing.

…That DID make me a terrible friend, didn't it? I stood in my spot, pondering this issue over and over again in my head before I saw the fishbowl move again. Finally, Rico and the others were back for the night!

At least that's what I thought. In reality—"Ringtail!" I screeched, before looking around at Pappy. His jaw had dropped, and I gestured for him to keep it cool. He was saying something all excited-like; I couldn't tell exactly what he was saying… all I remember was that he called me Carlotta again. "HEY! Mango brains! It's Dolly. It's not exactly hard to remember." Then I had to realize I never told them my name before.

Of course, Ringtail never cared about that. "Den you call me by MY name too. It is… Maurice, what is my name?" I didn't understand why the ringtail had to have someone tell him his name… Whatever. The chubby one, who I guess is Maurice, told me his name was Julien. There was a lot of other stuff to go with it, but I didn't care much. "Dere you go, silly Dolly. Now I hope dat since you are knowing de better, you will act proper to your kingliness. Which is me."

Leave it to him to turn this all on me. I just rolled my eyes, though. I didn't have time for this. If I knew Rico, which I did with all my heart, then he would be back any minute. I promised them I would meet them topside as soon as the penguins went to bed, as long as they left immediately.

And even THAT wasn't soon enough! Skipper came sliding down first, and boy was he mad when he saw that he had intruders in his secret HQ. He threw a hissy fit, and basically wanted to know what they were doing in there. There were other words too, but they weren't too polite. After thinking for a minute, Julien found the right words to reply with. "Dat is easy, loud bossy penguin. But I cannot be telling you, because Dolly told me not to tell you she could talk."

…Did I say right words? I meant WORST WORDS EVER!

DP

* * *

A/N: So, Julien has a big mouth. What's new? I love the reviews I get and all of you for reviewing, and faving, and watching. So, next question: Are the penguins going to believe Julien? He is a crazy lemur… then again, he's never lied before… Send me your questions, comments, concerns, and I'll see you next week!


	4. Doll's Friends

A/N: Why in the world would Julien even SAY that? …Oh yeah, he's all… dim and stuff, huh? Right. We'll just hope that Dolly doesn't get into too much more trouble… oh, what am I saying, she's a walking, talking TOY! She's BOUND to get into way more trouble. Disney movie this time? ALADDIN again! Why? You'll see.

**Doll's Friends**

Skipper looked as if he didn't believe his ears. Er… ear holes. Believe me, I could hardly believe _my_ ear holes. Erm… ears.

Anyways. Skipper just looked at him… then back at me… along with the rest of the penguins. Yeah, like I was going to speak now. That would just destroy my entire night. Actually, now, I was planning on just staying in. But that would be more of a punishment for me and not Ringtail there.

"Let me make sure I got this right." Skipper started. "Rico's doll…"

"Yeah."

"Told YOU…"

"Uh-huh."

"To tell us…"

"No." Ringtail interrupted.

"No?"

"She told me NOT to tell you she was de live." If nothing else, he was accurate. Skipper looked at him for a super long time this time, and I had to wonder if he was turning into a doll. That is, until he went berserk and tried to strangle King Julien, berating him for making up such ridiculous stories.

I felt something inside of me hurt a little bit. That was a new feeling, one I wasn't sure what to do with. All I knew was that it made me sad. I mean, I'm not just a made up story. But then, Skipper didn't exactly know that, did he?

Julien tried a few more times to convince Skipper that he wasn't just making stuff up, even though he didn't buy it and Rico was glaring daggers at him now. I knew he was protective of me, but I didn't realize the extent of it. The king looked over Skipper's shoulder at me, though, since half of the penguins were watching me, I couldn't make a move. Discouraged and a bit frustrated, probably because I didn't back him up, King Julien left, taking his two followers without saying much of anything.

For as long as I had known Ringtail, which was a little while, keeping quiet was very much unlike him. I would have to remember to apologize. If I got out tonight, anyways. Or ever again. Rico was looking at me, as if to decide whether to cage me away from the moronic, or teach him a lesson in not touching what's not his.

I love Rico, I really do, though seeing this new side of him… It didn't make me love him any less, though it did put my problem into perspective. If he could be a different penguin sometimes, then why couldn't I?

Doll-wise, I mean.

Rico took an extra long time saying goodnight to me this time, and making sure the perimeter was secure. Once he was satisfied everything was in order, he turned in for the night, tossing and turning a few times before actually falling asleep. I waited a while longer, just as a precaution, and then took to action, rotating my shoulder joints before rushing over to Pappy.

He looked up at me expectantly, still waiting for his pat on the head no doubt. As I did so (for longer than I usually do) he spoke. "Dolly, you're playing a dangerous game." I scoffed at him. How could that Ringtail or any other lemur be dangerous? "What if you don't make it back on time one night? What if you get caught?" Is that all? Well… I am still a bit worried about that. Though I shouldn't be.

It's not like I was going to hang out with the Lemurs every night. "I'll be fine, Pappy. I promise. And I'll come back before sunrise and Rico and the others will be none the wiser. Though…" Great. There goes my brain again, thinking. What if Rico thinks I'm a liar? After all this is said and done, and he finally sees that there's more to me (which is what I imagine will happen) then a plain and simple doll, he will realize the truth. That I was sneaking off behind his back. I have to sigh once again, even though, as always, it's not necessary. It's too much to think about right now, and I let it go, grasping one of the steps.

I turn back to look at Pappy, who is smiling at me a bit, as if to wish me luck on my journey. I rush back down to him and give him the least awkward hug I can. He's never asked for much from me, as a friend, and he's always been there for me, looking out for me, and keeping me sane. I appreciate him for it more than he'll ever know. "Thanks Pappy!" Most of the sad feeling I got from abandoning him before had vanished, since I now knew he was okay with whatever choice I made. It was a gracious kind of freedom, I think.

The steps before me are less of a challenge now. It's just… hand over hand, pulling myself up slower than I see Rico and the others do, push the fish bowl aside, and…

Fresh air! At last. There's a swish of gray and white in front of my face as I poke my head out, and at first I am a little startled. Actually, I almost lose my balance and fall back down the ladder before a hand shoots out and grabs my own. "Thanks, Julien." I seem to be saying thanks a lot today.

"Why are you being all talky now and not in front of dose pesky penguins?" He asked, with more accusation in his voice than anything else. He's mad at me, I know, and I would be too. I made him look like… well, like more of a fool to the penguins.

I apologize profusely, not knowing what else to say. I think for a few seconds before telling him that I didn't mean anything by it. I never wanted him to get in trouble, honest! And I didn't know that he would. Skipper seemed furious, though. "He WAS! Uh-DUUUUH!" He thumped my forehead a few times for emphasis, and though I couldn't feel it, it was still a little rude, and I waved his hand away. Or… paw. Animals are such strange creatures. "Well, whatevah, it doesn't matter now." He has such a strange accent; I wonder where he is from? "Come, we have somethings fantastical to show you." Julien emphasizes the –tastical part, as if this is going to make me more excited than I am.

Because I am SO excited. The only bad thing is… "Julien, how am I supposed to get OVER there? I mean, I can't—oh!" As soon as I look back, he's going to pick me up! I know Rico would be furious to find out that Ringtail was handling me, but I can't exactly care right now.

I'm FAR too anxious!

He holds me bridal style (and I am SO glad Rico isn't here or he'd be blown to smithereens!) and jumps over the water separating me from the rest of the world. Julien is especially skilled in such physical arts that I don't understand why Skipper doesn't just train him to work with them. I mean, they're all great, I note, as they jump and hop and skip over to their own habitat. It's amazing over here! I remember seeing it once, but I didn't get to see much. Now that they know my secret, I can look around freely, once Julien sets me down of course.

They lead the way to something he calls a bouncy, which looks like a squishy house, and jump into it. "I like bouncing!" Mort says, diving, it looks like, into the air. Is this what they wanted to show me? I hope it is.

Julien looks back at me from the peak of his jump and frowns before he falls. "What are you still doing dere, silly Dolly? Get up here and jump with us!" He doesn't sound upset, just… something. Like he's waiting for me to say yea or nay to his most treasured form of amusement. I step up there cautiously, the ground turning into something the consistency of jell-o, and my knees unlocking to make me wobble uncertainly.

At first, I'm a bit nervous. I mean, I've never done anything like THIS before! It seems to be a week of firsts for me, and I have to wonder what exciting thing I'll do tomorrow! Julien slows down a bit and eventually stops in front of me, pausing to hold both of my arms in his own… paws… and then jumps a bit. It's a see-saw motion after that. Him, then me… him, then me. When we get high enough, he lets go, and I have to admit, I was… a little scared.

Okay, I grabbed him and screamed.

But what followed was the most amazing thought of flying I had ever encountered! It wasn't some drop in my stomach or wind against my face rushing through my hair thing. I wouldn't be able to feel that anyway. It was more like… the knowledge of being where no one could touch me. Where no one would judge me. Where I was free to be whatever I wanted to be! I knew the many times I passed Julien I looked crazy excited, but I really didn't care. It was so amazing!

We all jump late into the night, and, as if some invisible ceiling had appeared above our heads, we all stopped at the same time, exhausted. Well, not me, but I stopped anyway. We lay in a circle, just the four of us, doll and lemurs. "So… how come you come all… alive at night anyways?" I giggle.

"It's not just at night. I'm always alive. Just… I come outside at night so the penguins don't get all… paranoid." They look at me like they understand, like they've seen the penguins' paranoia at its best. The lemurs continue asking me questions about things I liked to do, what I did for fun, what kind of music I liked and if the penguins did strange things when they thought they were alone.

I didn't answer that last part.

But most of the questions sound like things that friends would ask to get to know each other. They actually wanted to know about me, as much as they could. It was the most liberating experience I had had since… the jumping thing. I had all but decided that the lemurs were probably my very favorite beings in the zoo right at this moment. It didn't matter that we weren't jumping and dancing and moving (though we did do those things later too), I could tell that the lemurs were having just as much fun as I was, laughing and talking and being free.

All too soon, the sun started to rise, and the lemurs (me too after I figured out what the heck they were doing) rushed to Julien's throne to watch it. I have to say, they're not as annoying as Skipper says they are. I watch with them for a while. I have to. He's too beautiful to stay away from.

Well, they all are. You know what I mean.

I know I have to leave soon, so I ask if they'll take me back home, and they agree without hesitation. They even peak inside to make sure the penguins aren't awake yet. They're not. I hug each of them goodbye, with the promise that I'll be back tonight. They seem as excited for the next night's shenanigans as I am, and I jump down the ladder, making sure I make no noise as I practically dance back to my spot. Pappy smiles at me before the penguins awaken, and we go back to being stationary for another boring day of quiet, same old, same old, standing, being brushed, played with, cuddled at night, then I'd go outside, I think.

At least… that's what was supposed to happen. Rico wasn't supposed to be the first one awake. And he normally doesn't check up on me after going to do exercises and missions and exploring with the others. Because, when he got back around sundown, usually… he wouldn't find lemur fur trapped in my hand.

…Busted.

DF

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A/N: The main problem I have writing this story is how to convey feelings through someone who can't feel. And I mean physically feel, she has feelings. That's probably the main reason I'm writing this story, is to be challenged to write from a point of view of a doll, who has to stay still most of the time, and when she does move, it's jerky because she doesn't have normal joints and… see? Giving her a personality wasn't that hard, I basically took Barbie (from the movies that I watched with my little sister, don't judge me) and made her more of a thinker/philosopher. If you have anything you want to see, or a question you want answered, don't hesitate to ask. It's a new story, after all, and a new idea, I don't think this has been done for this fandom.


	5. Doll's Date

A/N: I'm hoping there will be more character development for Doll, and elaboration on her relationships throughout the story with the other characters (Rico, Julien, Pappy, Skipper, etc. And again, there needs to be development before there's actually a real… HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ON statement. So don't expect it any time soon.) What about Rico? Well, whenever she's with him, we'll find out more about the pair of them. So the real question here is when will Rico and Doll have another moment alone? When Skipper's done training him, of course! PS: If you can spot the Disney movie here, I will give you a cookie. Because... I have NO clue what it is, if there even IS one ^^' heh...

**Doll's Date**

I watched as Rico growled at the bits of fur in my hand. I had known Rico long enough to know that nothing good EVER comes out of that growl. I wanted to sigh and explain to him that it was an accident, to not let him get mad at the lemurs. It wasn't their fault, after all. They were helping me out.

He pulled them out carefully, as if he were afraid he would hurt me if he did it any harder, and brushed my hand off with his flipper. I may not have a heart, but SOMETHING was beating against my chest and making it feel like I had to breathe, and I couldn't.

Ever since the first scary night Rico took me home, he had taken special care of me. Making sure that everything was more than satisfactory for me, brushing my hair until HE was pleased, putting me in a place where he could always see me, and I could always see him… treating me as if I were alive. Life got less scary after that. And more lovely. Everything did.

I've had a crush on Rico ever since. Even though he loves me, and I love him, I always feel like I'm watching and wanting him from afar.

Rico took the fur and taped it to the wall, making sure that it could be seen so he wouldn't forget about it later. I was really worried, unsure about the fate of my new friends… but that changed when Rico picked me up, and took me up the ladder. He had never taken me out before! And I had never been alone with him up here before. I looked over at the penguins before we left, all busy with other things, and not even paying attention to me and Rico. Did this mean what I thought it did?

Pappy grinned at me as Rico carried me up the ladder. He probably knew better than I did what was going to happen. He always reminded me how much older and wiser he was than I.

It didn't matter, though, did it? I was getting the prize.

I was getting the night out with the one I loved.

When we reached the surface, I had to fight myself not to gasp out loud. A small table was set up, a silver platter with a matching cover set carefully in the middle. He sat me down gingerly, placing a small napkin in my lap before pushing me in. Oh, Rico's such a gentleman!

Er… gentlepenguin.

He sat himself down and lifted the lid of the platter in a flashy manner, almost making me giggle out loud. The fish remained untouched, however. I realized Rico didn't really want to eat. Just to spend time with me after a long day. With one flipper over my hand on the table, he began to talk to me.

Now, realize… when Rico speaks to me, it's his normal grunts and squeals and various noises. But I can understand them. I've listened and waited and made sure that I knew everything that he could possibly be saying. I love hearing him speak.

He told me every detail of what he did that day, which many may find boring, but I love. I know I am sighing on the inside and I allow myself to relax a bit more, and enjoy the atmosphere, and being out with Rico. It's almost like a dream, though I know I am awake.

I'm glad I am awake. The amount of love I feel right now is almost overwhelming.

Rico stood up after he finished telling me about his day, stretching in the moonlight, almost every feather catching the light and shining it into my eyes… he's so beautiful. His cobalt eyes sparkled as he turned his head toward me, and I have to make sure that I haven't moved a bit, though I'm positive I have.

Have you ever stared at someone for so long, even if they're standing still, you can still see something new each second? I got lost in that. And I couldn't very well concentrate on being a doll.

Though, I guess he didn't notice, because he took my hand, like I were an actual moving being, and stood me up, balancing me on my feet before leaning to the table and pulling out a small stereo. Oh, how I wanted to just giggle and have him wrap his arms around me. I may not have gotten to giggle, but he did pull me close into him, his flippers gently cradling my back, and his beak over my shoulder. My arms were stiff at his sides as we rocked back and forth, the music flowing gently through the penguin habitat and around us. I could hear him humming along with the music, right next to my ear, shaking me down to the core.

We danced like that for fifteen of the most wonderful minutes of my entire life! My lack of senses was nearly killing me, and I've finally run out of words to describe this moment.

Maybe I could just call it… Rico?

The air smelled like Rico.

It felt like Rico against me.

When I opened my mouth, I…

I felt ashamed and stupid?

Yeah. I did. Because I'm just a doll. A doll living in a fantasy world with a guy who will never feel the same way she feels about him. Because he can never know who she really is. Who I really am. I'm not just a simple doll he found in the store, I am alive and I could understand him. See him. Hear him… I know him. The night suddenly felt wasted. And why? Because I could never show him how much I appreciated it, or tell him how much I loved him for it. It was like he was doing this all for a piece of paper, and he wanted it to be special, I know he did, but he'd never get the acceptance back that he deserved!

A few hours later, he was snoring in his bunk.

And I was crying next to Pappy against the wall. He knew that I needed a moment, and being alone helped me clear my head.

"Pssst! Dolly! You are awake now, yes?" A forced whisper shot down at me from the hole above my head. Julien had come back.

DD

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A/N: Did I go overboard with the romantic gooeyness that lead into the depressing realization of heartache? …Meh, I don't think so. Will Julien help, or hurt? What do YOU think? Send me your reviews, I wanna know! I've already finished writing this story, and... can I just tell you? The next two chapters are two of my favorites, ESPECIALLY chapter seven. I cannot WAIT to post chapter seven. It shall be Legen-wait for it...

See yah next time!


	6. Doll's Plan

A/N: So what does Julien want now? And will Rico do anything to him the next time he sees him? No, I didn't forget about that, I just wanted Rico and Doll to have a chapter alone, just them. Mostly.

**Doll's Plan**

I look up and wipe my eyes, again, instinctively, as I don't even have tear ducts and can't really cry. Julien smiled at me and waved for me to come out and join him. There had to only be three or four hours left until sunrise, and I shouldn't risk it… but I found myself climbing the metal rungs of the ladder and being lifted out of the penguin habitat by Julien anyway.

I don't know what I'm doing anymore, but I need to take a break from crying.

He sits down with me and asks me what the matter is. I've never thought that a lemur could be such a good therapist, from all that I've heard about them from Skipper and the others, but… he's a great listener. When he isn't talking. Could it be that the penguins had an undisclosed problem with the lemurs from before, and that even though they were in a new place, they couldn't get over it? I once heard Kowalski saying something about "their home in Madagascar", but the topic was quickly dropped and changed after they realized they were late for something or another.

I was laying down on the ground now, with Julien beside me, his tail hitting me every once in a while. Not that I could feel it, I could only see it. He stared up at the stars too, much with the same longing I did, I could tell. But what could he possibly long for that he didn't have already? "I cannot understand dese things you are feeling, Dolly." He said, his accent making his –ing's sound more like –nk's, and any th's sound like d's. Or sometimes just t's. It's very interesting to listen to, really. "Why can you not just tell the crazier penguin how you are feeling, and den most of your confusedness will go away?"

Oh, Julien, if it were only that simple. "How do I just up and tell him that I'm madly in love with him when he doesn't even know about…?" I gesture to myself, and look up at Julien. He's staring at me with this strange look in his eyes, like… I dunno… pondering? I tilt my head and it squeaks, snapping him out of his thoughts. Julien turns to face me, his cheek in his hand and his tail curling around his waist. I imitate his position and stare at him. We're lying face to face, simply staring at each other. I have to wonder if he realizes that I had asked him a question.

I guess he did hear me; he was just trying to think of a way to word it. "You make it seem like it is a dream." Yes, because that makes SO much sense.

And also, WHAT!

He elaborates. "Wait until he is a-sleeping, den go to him and wake him up." Because THAT makes things seem like a dream. "Well, it will still seem like he is asleep you know. Just listen." He says, covering my mouth. I'm half glad I don't have to breathe, I can only imagine where that hand has been. "He will be thinking it is a dream. Den, you can talk to him, and if he rejects you—"

I finally get where he's going with that! "Then it'll seem like it never happened, I can just put him back to sleep and everything will be back to normal!" I have to hug him at that point. "Julien, you're a genius!" I retreat back into my thoughts, making sure the plan is absolutely fool proof. If he does reject me, and he thinks it's a dream, nothing will change between us. If he doesn't, then I can tell him everything without fear! Though… what if he doesn't fall for it? What if he knows he's awake, and everything falls apart between us? Or what if there's always this awkwardness between us, making him think that I could come to life at any minute?

Julien hums a bit behind my head, and I look down to see that he's got his arms wrapped around me. I tilt my head to get a better look at him. He looks so complacent and happy… I'm not sure why. Mommy issues, maybe? Someone didn't get enough hugs as a baby lemur. I cough shortly to get his attention, and he immediately lets go, apologizing quickly before composing himself. "So, den… it is a plan, yes?" I smirk at him and nod my head. It is indeed a plan, yes! He grabs my hand and runs back over to the fishbowl, kicking it out of our way, and I have to giggle at his enthusiasm. He grins back at me and dives down first, opening his arms so as to catch me when I jump.

Carefully measuring the distance, as well as my added weight and the speed of my fall, I estimate the fastest, safest route down would be a simple jump down the hole. Of course, all that is unnecessary, since I just trip and fall anyway. I shriek shortly before Julien catches me like a pro, holding me bridal style. I look at the ground. If he wasn't here, I bet I would have broken. "Thanks, Julien." I gasp, swinging myself out of his arms and looking around. Julien stared at me while I looked for Rico, since he wasn't in his bunk. I turn back to him to ask if he had any ideas of where my explosion-loving penguin could be when I caught him looking at me with that strange gleam in his eyes again.

I can't peg it, but I think that he might be reconsidering this plan.

Kind of like how I feel right now, brought to the face of a ringtail lemur. The worry riddled his face and before he could say anything, I heard a loud snoring noise coming from inside of Kowalski's lab. I had to do this now, or else I was going to change my mind. I gave Julien another quick hug before making my way into the lab. I heard him utter a quick "Good luck" before I went into the lab. Rico was lying on the lab table, so tired that he fell asleep while reloading his flamethrower. I smiled at his adorable antics, gently prying the flamethrower out of his flippers and putting it away. One day, I would know how to reload it with him. I looked around and decided to clean up the lab a little bit. I know Kowalski likes it neat and tidy.

That, and I'm stalling.

I can't help it, I'm afraid. All those questions I've asked before, those thoughts, those fears, they kept themselves on the forefront of my mind. I am still unsure of myself. Would this be considered, then, as questioning my love for him? I mean, love means accepting one, no matter what. Sort of like how Julien did for me. And then, there was that variable. With Julien in the picture, I would have to tell Rico about what he meant to me, so he wouldn't go and hurt him over that fur he found in my hand.

Wait… what he meant to me? …What did he mean to me?

Julien was my best friend. He was the only real thing who even cared about me. The real me. And not once had he made me feel bad about it. He only wanted to help me. Make me feel better…

Make me smile. I decided that Julien was my inspiration. The one thing that would keep me going, no matter what happened. The lemurs were the only ones who knew, after all. And they had already accepted me. Like a family. I smiled, moving closer to Rico. That could be us too. And wasn't that worth the risk? I reached out one hand out to touch his head, just like I had those days ago when I first started my adventures. Only this time, I wanted him to wake up.

My hand was inches away from him, when I heard a strange strangled noise behind me, and getting closer fast! I barely turned in time for me to see Julien darting at me, grabbing me and hurling me away from Rico. I could tell I was going to end up on the floor if I didn't do anything soon, so I reached out and grabbed his arm, taking him down with me. I was about to yell at him and punch his arm to make sure he understood what an important moment he ruined when he looked up at me, tears sparkling in his eyes. My anger suddenly faded and it was replaced by a new feeling, something similar to what I had been feeling earlier for myself.

Pity. And confusion. "Julien… what's the matter? What's wrong?" I asked in hushed tones, petting him behind the ears to comfort him. I didn't want to see HIM sad, not ever. If my only reason for being confident was sad, where did that put me? What was I supposed to do?

The lemur blinked a few times and shook his head. "Do not be doing dis thing, Dolly. At least, not right now." Not right… but if not now, when? I shook my head, I had to be certain I was hearing him correctly.

"Julien… why not? It was your idea—" He nodded, as if to tell me he knew that.

"Yes, and it was an awesome kingly idea of mine dat my kingly brain thought up… but you cannot do it just yet." I was still waiting for a reason why. "Dere is something you must know first." My heart froze. Did Rico already know? Had he told him before, this morning? I couldn't be there to defend myself, and Rico already heard about it from Julien. Then again, maybe that's why he didn't say anything about him when he got home. And maybe that was why he treated me to such a nice night. Maybe he was just waiting for me to speak. "The sun is about to rise…" He said distractedly, making me snap back to focus my attention on him once again. He stood up, pulling me with him, and bringing me to where I usually stood for the day. I chanced a glance back at Rico, still snoring, and drooling a little bit now. My confession would have to wait until tonight.

Julien was uncharacteristically quiet as we walked back to where I usually stood, holding my hand with care in his larger furry paw. I asked him several times if he was all right, if everything was okay, and if he wanted to tell me what was up. He remained silent, though. At least, until we got to my resting area. He put me back carefully, checking my hands this time and making sure any signs that he was in the room was gone. "Julien, seriously… what is the matter with you?" He stared me in the eyes, his bright yellow ones boring into my blue ones.

"Dolly, I am in de loves for you. I had to tell you dat before you told Rico." He said, leaving me in a stupor.

It was twenty minutes until sunrise.

DP

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A/N: So if I ended this RIGHT now, who'd feel what? Juuuust kidding. Mmmkay, so I did want to make it a Julien/Doll/Rico. But not until, like, after the first three chapters. Someone is going to end up sad at the end of this, and if you want to guess whom, now would be the perfect time. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story!


	7. Doll's Decision

A/N: -Dary! This is probably my favorite chapter. It was fun to write, fun to re-read, and just a blast altogether. It's a countdown to sunrise! Twenty minutes until the penguins wake up, Julien's just told Dolly he loves her, and Dolly is...

**Doll's Decision**

Twenty Minutes Left...

I was absolutely positive I had heard him wrong. Julien had been kind to me, when everyone else said he was self-centered. He was my dearest friend and confidant, when everyone else said he couldn't keep a secret. But love? Was he sure about that?

I asked him about it, and it seemed as if he was staring straight through me, his gleaming yellow eyes seemingly glowing in the darkness of the penguins' headquarters. "I did think about it, though. For a full day, even. Dat is a long time for a king to think about things, you know." Of course it was. "It cannot be anything else, Dolly..."

When did this even happen? I looked around, making sure I was still awake. Pappy was in his corner, starting at me, gaping at the two of us, wide mouthed as the caught fish he'd been modeled to look like.

I am awake.

Crap.

Sixteen Minutes Left...

"Julien... how... why?" Did my questions even make sense? How did he come to love me? Because his strong attachment lead to emotion.

Why did he love me? "Please, I do not know. It is crazy, though." Tell me about it. He says this as if it's just another thing that just... happened to happen in his life. He sighs, and I can tell he needs to, that he's been holding in air since he told me his little secret. This wasn't possible. He had only known me for what, three, four nights? How could he even think he loves me?

Does love have a time frame? It didn't for me and Rico. Why would it for me and Julien? I sighed and tilted my head up. Since when was there a me and Julien! Had I given him the impression that such a thing could be? I looked back at him and did the only thing that I could do. I hugged him, holding on for dear life, as if I could squeeze the answers to my questions out of him.

I wish I could understand what this meant. For me... for Rico... for Julien. And why did he have to say this now, when I had already made up my mind? I knew what I was going to do, and I had a plan. I had it all sorted out.

Now... Now I was confused and lost and scared and... "Julien, you can't—"

When I finally let go, he was staring back at me, his eyes now steely and hard. "Oh? Why can't I? I am de king, so I can be doing whatever it is I am wanting to be doing. Or needing to be doing." He said, looking down at his feet for a second.

I look down too. His paws are on my shoulders and I don't know how to feel about that. The knowledge that he wants to hold me like this is amazingly flattering and great... but it's still not Rico. He was Not Rico. "I am... of need of you." He said, Not Rico's heavy accent getting in the way of proper grammar, I noticed. The lemur took a few deep breaths and looked at me, and for a few seconds, I thought he was going to try and kiss me.

To be honest... I'm not sure what I would have done then.

This whole thing was almost over bearing. I almost couldn't take it. Rico couldn't know about this. And, until I sorted this thing out, and got answers, I couldn't tell him how I felt. Who I was. Have him accept me. "Dolly?" Not Rico's voice was so soft and humble, I almost let myself go to all the sadness and confusion that are already within. Almost. Instead, I tilt my head back to face his, the golden flecks in Not Rico's eyes making it nearly impossible to look away. How does he do that? "If things were different…"

Four Minutes Left...

Isn't that the way things always go? What if? There is always that possibility that things could have turned out differently, if only what if. "If things were different, Julien?" I reach up and around, tracing a line from his nose to behind his ears. His eyes close lazily, finally releasing me from their hold. I stop right behind one of his ears, tickling and scratching it for a few moments, watching as he crept his paws behind my back and wrapping his tail around my legs, as if that were going to keep him there with me.

I think Rico would notice, though.

"If things were different… we wouldn't be here right now." He looked sad and confused, his mind working to find the right words to say. But I knew what he was going to try and argue. "If you had found me first, I wouldn't be trying to convince you that I was alive. It would be someone else." I didn't want to say Rico. Even though I know we're soul mates, things could change in what if world. He didn't want to believe what I was saying. I could see it.

One Minute Left…

It was getting too late to do much else, so I placed both hands on his chest, and pushed slightly. "You have to leave." I said quietly. I didn't want to sound rude or pushy… I was pretty sure I didn't.

Julien stared at me for a few more seconds before releasing me. "You… will not tell Rico, den? Not until…" He wanted to try and make his case. And I had to let him. I nodded, my plans for that night arranged and my fate sealed. At least… I thought so.

The ringtail beat feet to the entrance of the Headquarters, looking back at me one last time. I was already in day mode, so anything he had planned on saying would have to wait. He scampered out of the hole and vanished into the sunrise. I clenched my jaw and my eyes shut, begging myself not to cry. I couldn't right then, they would be awake soon.

My feelings for Rico

My feelings for Julien

Their feelings for me…

I couldn't do this… I couldn't do this, I can't stay here anymore, I have to leave, I have to get out… I push open the big door that lead to who knows where and took the escape route. They would be awake soon, and find me missing… then start to look for me in the usual places… I had to hide somewhere unusual.

And I think I have an idea as to where.

DD

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A/N: Legendary. Uuuh... Not sure if there's much more to say now. I love this chapter because it brings Doll's feelings for both guys to another level: The comparison level. For anyone who's ever had to choose between two different people for whatever reason, this chapter's for you, as you probably understand better than anyone. So, next chapter will be up next week, as usual... comment, review... Love you guys, my readers, especially my reviewers! You all make my DAY, and you have my props. PROPS! Alright, yo... see you next chapter!


	8. Doll's Advisor

A/N: Dolly's making a break for freedom to stay sane… who's she going to choose? And will Rico ever accept her for who she is? Will Rico ever find OUT who she really is? Send me your comments, your suggestions, your ideas… And as always, review. See you later!

**Doll's Adviser**

I took the tunnel out of the penguins' habitat. It was just dark. Dark and empty and…

I cried again. What was wrong with me? I knew what I felt for Rico, but what about Julien?

Should I take into consideration what we've been through, and give him a chance, throwing away everything Rico has given me, done for me, felt for me… all the while living in secret with the lemurs?

Impossible. It wouldn't change a thing.

I stopped crying for a minute and listened… Rico had begun to freak out, and the search was on. They were turning the place upside down, I could hear it, for me. And in that instant, I hated what I had done. All this… indecision, every time I snuck out to see the lemurs… it was hurting him, and he didn't even know it. But I did. I knew and I kept doing it.

Finally, I reached my destination. Pushing on the grate slowly, I looked around the room to find the being inside doing a few stretches before starting the day. "Uh… hello?" I managed to squeal out. I recognized her as a brown otter, but… I had no other information otherwise. She jumped and looked around her house, trying to see if she was hearing things. If it were me… I'd be doing the same thing. But she was all I had. I couldn't go back to the lemurs, Julien was there. I couldn't go back to the penguins, Rico was there.

Here... It was just the otter. I can ask her for advice.

If she stops freaking out first.

"Okay, WHERE did that voice come from?" I sighed and pushed the grate open as hard as I could, causing the otter once again to jump and stare. "Rico's doll?" She said, pushing the grate aside and helping me out. "But how did YOU get out here?" The otter looked at me, probably unaware that I was alive, and just thought... what, I had been forced up here by some magical force? She pulled me out and brushed me off a bit, much to my disliking and said, "Gee, I guess I had better take you back to Rico, huh?"

Well, if THAT wouldn't just make my running a big, fat waste of time! "NO!" I said, struggling against her grip. Which I probably needn't do, on account of she dropped me promptly afterward. And then, she just stared. That's never a good omen. If being alive these past few days has taught me anything, it's that when something is staring at you, they're either going to scream, or do something stupid. I darted across the room to cover her mouth before-

Yup, there it was. The muffled sound of screaming. Am I good or what? "Shhh! Please... hey, just... calm down, alright!" I yell-whispered. Mostly because if I didn't, she wouldn't have heard me. Even though her screams were muffled (making me feel like a desensitized jerk) they were pretty loud still, and if we weren't careful, the penguins would catch me, and I, despite being in, what I thought was, love with one of them, needed to get away from that. If only for a moment. "Come on, please miss otter, I need your help!" And that shut her up. I swear, politeness is to some people what candy is to babies.

"You... you TALKED! W-wh-wh-why are you talking!" Her voice squeaked while she spoke, reaching octaves I'm surprised my ears could pick up.

I quickly explained my situation to her, skimming over a few of the only semi-important parts (such as that I may or may not be in love with Julien), and straight out skipping over the main important part (She kept saying, "But you're ALIVE! How is that even possible!" Honestly, that question is getting annoying. And I still don't know the answer.) I ended by saying that she had to help me, though what she owed me I still wasn't sure, and dropping to my metal snap-in-place knees. A few minutes of steadying herself with some deep breathing, and slapping herself to make sure this whole thing was real gave her the strength to help me out.

I guess. "Okay. So, to make sure I have this straight... You're in love with Rico. And Rico's in love with you."

"Yeah."

"But Rico doesn't know that you come to life."

"Right."

"And Julien does."

"Yes."

"Julien, who is in love with you."

"Apparently."

"And who you're in love with?"

"Ye—wait a minute!" I had never even said that! Nor had I ever hinted to it... had I? What DID I say? She told me that when I talked about how understanding that silly lemur king was, I got "twinkly-eyed". Whatever the heck that means. The same way I got when I spoke about Rico. "Well... that probably doesn't mean anything." I could tell that she didn't believe me, but I pretended like I didn't care. "Come on, miss otter lady, please, I need some advice, I don't know what to do, and Pappy's never been in love before— "

She asked me who I was talking about, as I had mentioned him several times before. "The fish comes alive too!" She exclaimed, slumping on a ledge carved out of her wall. I just nodded, not thinking that saying anything else would be helpful. Another few moments of quiet follow, before any help actually comes from the otter lady. "Well, it seems to ME that you're in love with both of them for different reasons." I roll my eyes, there was no way I was in love with both of them... At least, not with Julien.

I am NOT in love with Julien.

Maybe if I keep saying it, it'll be true. "You're in love with Rico because he saved you, and you're in love with Julien because he gives you the freedom you so desire." Okay, maybe she has a clearer view of things than I do. Double crap. "In either case, you end up with a great guy." I look up at her when she says that. They WERE both great, weren't they? "And they both care about you very much. I know Rico wouldn't just abandon you because you can talk and come to life. If anything, that'll make him see how truly special you are." That was a truly cute and sparkly way to put it. But that didn't exactly solve my problem. "You have to figure out who you want to be with, Dolly. I can't tell you anything more than that." But I need help with how to choose one without breaking their hearts! I didn't want that at all! Before I could get that out, though, Murphy reared his ugly head.

You know, Murphy's law: Anything that can go wrong, will.

Rico showed up right then, looking upset and antsy.

I struck my stay still position, not thinking it would be any use. Surprisingly enough... it was. He scooped me back into his arms and cooed softly. I know if I could feel, I'd be all warm all over. Skipper came in sometime during all that to congratulate Marlene (that's her name!) on a doll well found, and to thank her on aiding their mission. She grinned forcibly. "Anything I can do to help. ANY time." Marlene said, looking directly at me when she said it. I winked quickly before returning to my normal straight faced stare. I knew what I had to do.

DA

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A/N: So that chapter lasted all of maybe twenty, twenty-five minutes, tops. It's a bit longer than I wanted to make it, but it was necessary. Dolly's heading back home and everything should be fine now. She'll confess her feelings... but to whom? And what will become of it? Stay tuned! Oh, and as always, questions, comments, suggestions, whatever you'd like... go ahead and leave 'em, it's all good.


	9. Doll's Last Chance

A/N: This was probably the hardest chapter for me to write. You'll see why soon. When we left our heroine, she was in the middle of an emotional quandary between penguin and lemur, both making valid bids on her heart without the other knowing. Well, Julien knew Rico was doing it, but Rico didn't know about Julien. Yeah. Dolly, not wanting to hurt either of the guys she loves so much, ran to Marlene to try and get help. But when this fails, she has to figure things out on her own. And so, apparently, she does! ...Something's going to go horribly wrong, isn't it?

**Doll's Last Chance**

Rico carried me carefully back to the penguin habitat, humming some pretty little ditty into my ear. I do love it when he sings to me, in his own special way. While he cracks the fishbowl open and makes sure no one's around to watch, I chance a glance back at the lemur habitat.

Julien's watching me. Staring with this unreadable look on his face. I look back at Rico, he's busy with the fish bowl, before mouthing out, quite obviously, "Talk later, Julien" so he knew that I was speaking specifically to him. He squinted, and I couldn't tell if he understood me or not. All I knew was that the message was conveyed. And the lemur king could do with it what he would.

Later, I would tell him all about it. About how I felt about him. It was more like love for him, but probably a different type of love. I was NOT in love with Julien. I knew that. I did love him, though. And that's exactly what I would say. And if he truly loved me back, he would understand.

As for Rico... I would tell him tonight, too. Right after I was done with Julien. Of course, I would tell him about Julien, so he wouldn't do anything to him later. But I would make Rico understand that this was me. That I would love him forever, as who I was, from now on. But he would have to accept me the way I was.

Nothing more, and nothing less, than a living doll. Then HIS living doll. For as long as he would have me.

Rico set me down for the day, and I let Pappy in on my plan once the penguins went to finish up their daily routines. Pappy looked generally happy about my decision, and even considered outing himself as well. "Who knows, maybe I'll get to play a bigger part around here. I would make a great security fish, you think?" I laugh, an incredible feeling rushing through me. I don't know what it is, but I like it!

The rest of the quiet time passed without problem. I'm surprised that Julien doesn't come down, but... maybe something's preventing him from coming. That must be it. I relax for a minute before, once again, going into day mode once again.

I know this part's probably dreadfully boring, but... there's not much to say at this point. I know what's going to happen. At least... I think I know. I'm more than sure at any rate. And I simply cannot wait to tell Rico! Speaking of the handsome, amazingly great devil... he comes downstairs, dancing a bit before heading to his bunk, completely ignoring me. That is, until he pulls out his brush. I bite my lip internally. The best time of the day: Rico was going to brush my hair.

So I may be brainy, but I do love being pampered. Even more, I love being pampered by the guy who holds my heart.

The brush goes through my hair with nary a problem, getting through my small tangles and knots, Rico singing to me in that one special way only he could do, and the rest of the penguins doing... something. Oh, I don't even care. Maybe now should be the moment I tell him...

He turns me around to get the front of my hair, the timing almost TOO perfect. Yes, I decide. It's now. It has to be now. Rico holds me close to him, and I bite my lip, for real this time, ready to let him hear me for the first time. "What?" I hear him say. Though... I don't remember saying anything yet. He turns to look at me with uncertain eyes and I stare blankly ahead, resuming the look I normally have. Something's very wrong here...

"Perfect match! All we need is a dress!" ...For Rico? I recognize Kowalski's voice, but I'm so unclear on what's going on... I ease my head once more toward my penguin, hoping no one would notice (they didn't). He looks just as confused, maybe even a bit angry. The others keep talking, but I keep my focus on Rico, looking back and forth at them as if they had just started plotting against him. Kowalski and Private kept talking back and forth, and for the first time since Julien almost outed me... I felt scared.

Rico put me to the side to spit out a rolling pin, slapping it against his flipper. If I knew anything, it was that nothing was getting between me and him.

Skipper put up his flippers in defense. "Woah, hey! It's your call, compadre." He said. But I knew that look in his eyes. It wasn't Rico's call at all. Skipper wasn't going to let this go without a fight... and he fought dirty sometimes. "Just try not to think about that... weepy little miss with the empty place in her heart where her dolly used to live." And then he made this face... this one that could only be described as pathetically puppy dog-ish with a heaping side of guilt laid all over it. Rico may have a tough exterior... but on the inside, he was a marshmallow. Especially to girls.

I should know.

It happened within a second. The rolling pin fell from his flippers and hit the floor, and no sooner had it clanked against the concrete then I was in Skipper's flippers... Rico giving me up for some sad little girl.

Rico was giving me up.

Rico was giving me up.

Rico... I couldn't stop thinking it. And I couldn't help but think that this whole thing was my fault. If I would have told him earlier my feelings for him... my being, my situation... this wouldn't have happened. He wouldn't have let me go if he knew how much he meant to me. How much being ripped away from him would hurt and kill me inside. His eyes held an infinite sadness that I recognized at once. It was the same sadness I was feeling right then. You may be wondering why I don't just tell him now. Why I don't spring to life in front of him and the others...

It's my punishment.

Every action has an equal or opposite reaction. And my delayed actions, everything I had done to hurt the one I love, and the ones who loved me... this was the opposite reaction. I had to accept it the way it was. And even though Rico was sad and tormented too, he probably felt it was for the best. He wouldn't have done it otherwise. I knew him better than that. All other noises around me became mumbled bits of noise at the back of my subconscious, as I felt my last few minutes at the Central Park Zoo dwindle away to nothingness.

Before I knew it, I was in a pink, poofy dress, covered in glitter and lace. I hated it. But, as I looked back at Rico, I could tell he hated it more. At least we were in agreement there. It was soon dark, and the penguins were sneaking out. This time, I was going with them. I always dreamed that I would go on an adventure with them, doing some sort of fun secret mission. But I never thought it'd be anything like this.

Rico waddled past the lemur habitat, I over his shoulder, looking up at the throne, where I had once watched a magical sunrise. Who knew if I would ever see the sun rise like that again. I noticed Julien peek his head out from behind his throne, a few lilies poking their heads out from beside him. He stood up to his full height (was he always that tall?) and watched Rico and the penguins take me toward the gates.

It was as if he didn't want to believe what he was seeing. But it was true. After a few seconds, he shook his head; his golden yellow eyes staring holes into my sad, tear-blue ones. Throwing the flowers to the side, he took off after me, his tree jumping skills and tail coming into play, all the while trying to keep up with me. It was almost like he was flying and dancing across those treetops. He scurried as quickly as he could, keeping up fairly well with the now sliding penguins. I wanted to yell to him that I was sorry, that I did love him, and that I would never intentionally hurt him. Above all, I wanted to hold him, and have him hold me, like he did before.

If things could be the way they were before...

What if.

The metallic clanging of the picture we snuck through broke the still silence, and as they slid quickly through the park, I could see Julien, holding onto one of the pillars to the clock tower with one hand, the other stretched out to me as if that would bring me back. As he shrunk into a smaller and smaller dot, I saw his hand fall. Along with a piece of my heart.

_I'm sorry, Julien. I'm so, so sorry._

DLC

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A/N: This is why it was the hardest. One, episode incorporation: I never feel like I can make the episodes fit in there just right, and this was no exception. Two, Dolly's reaction: If you find out you're going to be ripped away from the one you love, you're not going down without a fight. If you can't see why that would be hard to write, then I either envy you or pity you. So. I went there. Most of this chapter was taken from the episode of POM, "What Goes Around". Am I going to change anything? What do you think? Hopefully you come back for the next chapter, despite the depressingness of this one. The next chapter is the last, BTW, so stay tuned, just ONE more week faithful viewers. Maybe even less than that depending on YOU. Especially since I think the next chapter is gonna be pretty short. Review please.

PS: I put a poll up on my page, feel free to keep voting if you'd like. So far, the majority of the votes are for Julien, believe it or not! I side with them, but... this is Dolly's story.


	10. Doll's Goodbye

A/N: Here we are, the last chapter.

**Doll's Goodbye**

I barely pay attention as we reach the giant apartment building, signifying the end of my adventure. The end of being with Rico. The end of... everything I had known, in sacrifice for this new life.

I've never felt so empty.

I know I'm a doll, and I'm just made of plastic, but Rico made me feel like something more. I wasn't JUST a doll. I was his girl. I was HIS. He loved me and I wanted to show him how much he meant to me, I did. I do. It's too late now, though. We take the elevator up and he's studying me, my eyes, my new dress, my hair, making sure it's still all perfect. Probably for the very last time. I'm going to miss him SO much. My one true love, forced to "take one for the team", or some obnoxiousness like that.

The world is growing dim once again. I can see it around me, the light is fading. Even though this is a new place, and a new opportunity... I can't help but feel sick to, if I had one, my stomach. Heck, if I had one, I'd be throwing up whatever was in it. If there was anything in it.

Four penguin heads peaked out from behind a blue potted plant, to look at the door too close by. Rico lingered on the sight of the door the longest, before retreating and looking at me, staring with the saddest look I've ever seen him give me. I'm going to miss him like crazy, I know it. But if this was what was best, then... I tried to tell him that I understood with my eyes. To speak now... when the plan was already underway... it would be too painful a goodbye. Instead, I watched him back, trying not to look too happy, and hoping that he would get the message.

The mutterings that came from him just then weren't words. They were only noises; meant to convey his true emotions. My poor penguin. Private spoke to him shortly, and I rubbed my eyes while his attention was turned. I knew there wouldn't be any tears there, but... it was almost like there was...

Almost.

Almost... everything in my life was almost, wasn't it. I almost had his love for my own. I almost had a real family. I was almost real. Almost.

He kissed me, far too quickly for such a long goodbye, and lay me down gently on the blue carpet. I looked up at the door, my destiny behind it now, instead of beside me. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Rico trying to come back for me, and I had to fight the urge to jump up and run to him, to have him against me once more. Kowalski and Private dragged him back, and I could see how much it hurt him to just leave me like that. He wasn't just leaving me... he was leaving a part of himself.

I would remember him forever for that.

Skipper banged his flipper against the door, and darted out of the way before a tiny little school girl poked her head out to answer the door. I looked back at Rico, not caring if he saw me move or not. I wanted just one more look at him before I was taken out of his life forever.

I heard a shrill little gasp somewhere above me, indicating the little girl had found me. "Princess Pony Princess! Mom, mom! She came back! Mom!" Behind us, the door slammed shut...

And I was alone again.

Even with this tiny girl holding me and cuddling me to her... I was alone. My love was lost to me.

**_Epilogue_**

After a few hours of being picked up and put down and watched carefully and cooed over, the little girl finally put me up on a shelf near a window. "Goodnight, Princess. I love you!" I just stared blankly back at her. It seemed to satisfy her, because she shut off her light, tucked herself in, and promptly fell asleep.

She seemed to not notice that I wasn't who she thought I was. Or really care that her precious Princess had been replaced. I stood up, hearing a few gasps behind me. Other toys, no doubt, knowing that I wasn't the real Princess. I didn't want to talk to them yet, though. Nor did I have any desire to talk to them ever. I looked out at the moon.

It seemed like an eternity ago when I would have given anything to have a view like this. Of course, at the time, I would have had my Rico with me. I could see them leaving the building below me, and felt my heart break. I would never see him again, would I?

My one sole purpose... gone from me...

It happened suddenly; my legs went wobbly, like they had on that bouncy back at the lemur's habitat. The broken feeling of my heart deepened, but I didn't care. My vision went black, and the last sound I heard that night was my head hitting the floor.

Eternity is going to last forever...

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Rico sat on the floor of the penguin's HQ, contentedly brushing the hair of his doll, singing to her the songs he had memorized from so long ago. He might just keep that tacky pink dress she had for another time. Though, it would have to be changed later, it looked much too fancy for every day wear.

The others were watching TV late into the night, but Rico was the one who stayed up the longest, brushing and rebrushing her hair, and singing to her until he thought his voice would go. He looked at the clock above his head. It was getting close to midnight; he would have to wake up in a few hours, and wouldn't be able to do his morning exercises if he didn't go to bed soon.

He put his doll in the corner, making sure everything was just right for her before kissing her goodnight. Rico then yawned and stretched... and dived onto his bunk. The universe had come back with something great... it was as if this whole day had never happened, and he could live with that. It's not like anything changed.

A few minutes after Rico went to bed, his doll stretched her arms, and looked around her new place. The new digs were snazzy, and her newest friend could brush hair better than her last girl. She might just have to hang around here for a while, and not ditch this time. It seemed like a halfway decent place, after all. "PST! Dolly! You alright, where'd they take you?" She looked about for the noise and nearly jumped a foot when she found out that it came from a hanging fish on the wall. The new doll tilted her head at him and smiled widely, that one they all came made with and shook her head, pointing to her throat and making a cutting motion.

She didn't speak. And she wasn't Dolly.

Pappy gasped at the sight. "My mistake, I... I thought you were..." She just kept on with that... silly smile. It was getting a little more than creepy. The hatch above his head slid open a few moments later, to the new doll's excitement. A new friend? A furry ringtail lemur clambered down the rungs, looking around for... there! He spotted the doll and his face lit up. She was okay! But why did they take her away in the first place?

Oh, who cared, he had her back. And he could take her to live with him and they'd be happy and in love and... His thoughts stopped short. He had been hugging her for a while now, and all she had done was pat his back the whole time. "Dolly? What is de matter of you? Are you okay?" The smile on her face was enough to tell Julien something was more than wrong, and her silence sealed it: she wasn't Dolly. He looked to Pappy, who just shook his head in sorrow, muttering a short apology to the lemur king.

The ringtail bowed his head and clenched his eyes shut, trying to keep the tears from flowing. He didn't want an apology. He wanted his love back. The new doll watched him scurry up the ladder, her smile stationary on her face, and the pale moonlight reflecting in her emotionless eyes.

The sun rose slowly the next day, and only the ringtail was awake to watch it.

_End_

A/N: I'd like to thank all of my reviewers for sticking through the sadness and sorrows. You made this all worth it. I never liked that Rico got a new doll and was just like... it's all good now! Yay! You can't just replace love like that! Then I realized that in his mind, it wasn't replacing his love because it was the same person to him. I hope I don't make it so that now every time someone watches this episode, "What Goes Around", they burst into tears. ...I'll already be doing that. Yeah, so... yeah. I don't own anything here, and I hope to see you again at my next project. Whatever that may be.

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As an added bonus, I put an analysis of each chapter here. Feel free to skip it, it's just my thought process as I was writing/re-reading each chapter. Enjoy or not, please review, thank you.

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An analysis of Chapter 1: So, I was working on this for fun, I never thought it'd amount to much of anything, and I don't remember why I felt it had to be so sad. But it did. Reading back on it now, I see that... I like the sad, but it doesn't really match the story. It's more like a prologue, I think. A good prologue, but not really relevant nonetheless. I mean, you can get to the rest of the story and just skip chapter 1 if you really wanted. Not saying that you should, because I love chapter 1. Eh, I don't know how I feel about this chapter. Pros: Establishes character, sets mood. Cons: Doesn't have much to do with the rest of the story.

An analysis of Chapter 2: Oh yeah! The lemurs find her in this chapter! Heh, okay. Uhmm... I don't really mind this chapter, there's not much talking in this one, so that's cool. We also get a sense of insecurity by Dolly and her progression as a character. Slow and steady, but still there. I honestly think this chapter is pretty slow. It only serves to be a segue to introduce the lemurs and her want to be a part of something bigger. Pros: CORPSE BRIDE FTW!, first time outside. Cons: Segue chapter, filler, filler, filler!

An analysis of Chapter 3: ...How have I made so many filler chapters without even realizing it? (sigh) Okay. So, this chapter is Dolly getting to know the lemurs a bit, and finally exposing her as a living being. It's an okay chapter, and Dolly does take a chance to expand her character, and become less of a... plot point and more of a person. We get our first glance at Julien/Dolly interaction, and it's basically like... two people who had known each other a once upon a time, but don't really care and are starting over in their relationship. And then, Julien spills the beans. There's not much to say about this chapter, it's pretty cut and dry. Pros: Dolly does the roundy-round in her cheer. Cons: Not much substance in this chapter.

An analysis of Chapter 4: More Julien/Dolly interaction. Don't look for anything romantic or lovey here, because it's still nonexistent. It's more of a friendship chapter, especially between her and Pappy. Okay, I feel like I have some 'splainin' to do. Pappy is Private's First Prize. Not really a toy, but he can come to life too. I was going to call him PFP, but... that sounded stupid. I turned the F into an A, and he became PAP-y. I love doing Julien, especially when I can just be free to do him as the goofy, good-natured guy he really is. NO love going on between him and Dolly yet, really. Just some deepening of their friendship. That's all. I swear. Don't even bother looking for any love here. Because there isn't any. I don't care what evidence you can give me that it is, I'm telling you, I didn't intend for there to be. Yet. Other than that, we get some fun from the bouncy and talking and dancing the night away... it's a pretty little chapter. One of the best in my opinion. Pros: "Somethings fanTAST-ICAL." is said just like that. Love Julien. Cons: They get caught at the end? That's it.

An analysis of Chapter 5: This is me being gooey and romantic and sentimental and crap. That's all you get. That's it, I'm serious. I can't do anything more than this, it's pretty much impossible. So, Dolly and Rico go on a date, and we get to see how he acts around her when they're alone. The senses of Rico part was hard to write because I felt STUPID writing it. And I had to think that 90% of people would feel stupid thinking that. So... yeah. Heh. Uhm... pretty short chapter. They dance, they have dinner and Dolly cries. As the chapters go on, we get to see Dolly become way more in touch with her emotions, and not just going off of what she wants. She's developing more by now, I love it. Pros: Gooey, fluffy, love date mess FTW. Cons: It felt like Rico against me? Seriously? Ugh. I'm surprised I didn't get beat up for that.

An analysis of Chapter 6: This was the coming out chapter. The "here it is, here's the main steak and potatoes of the story" chapter. Julien confesses his feelings for Dolly. I won't lie, at first, I wasn't expecting this thing with her and Julien to even GO anywhere. On the contrary, in the first draft, he was going to help her get together with Rico, which he starts to do in this chapter. However, later I decided that it would be too much of a cliched happy ending, and it got scrapped for the ending I have now. Everything that would indicate that they could be more than friends would have remained, but it would just seem like they were going to stay friends, and that nothing would happen between them. Ever. At all. Throughout the chapter, you get tiny glimpses, TINY glimpses that show Julien's hesitation to tell Dolly about his true feelings. If it was from his POV, you'd see A LOT more, but... that's not how this story goes. So... that's about it. Dolly's hesitant, and it leads to Julien wanting to confess his feelings for her. Pros: Julien gets an idea! And he is also in LURVE. AWWW! Cons: Dolly was a bit slow in this chapter, and it moved slowly. Probably because Dolly is slow in this chapter...

An analysis of Chapter 7: I've had a review or two stating that Julien's confession was completely out of nowhere. And it was. IF you weren't looking for it. Go back through the story and look at it, and try not to see it from Dolly's POV. Did you see it? There are miniscule, and even one or two blatant signs that he has feelings for her stronger than friendship. Though, chapter six may be the strongest example of that, I think. I wanted to put the sign in there earlier, but it didn't seem to fit anywhere else, so if it seems rushed, I did the best that I could. The countdown isn't as important as one may think I thought it was... I didn't think that it mattered too much, and it still doesn't. The thing that matters is what Dolly's thinking of Julien (or Not Rico) and Rico, as she's trying to choose immediately between the two. That's not possible though, as she soon finds out. Pros: Dolly and Julien closeness FTW. I'm not even kidding, that's the main thing I love about this chapter. They get to be close to each other, and we see a cuddly side of Julien. I've said it before, if I were Dolly, I would pick Julien. I love Rico, I do, but... it's JULIEN! Cuddly, and he has a tail! Tails are awesome! Cons: ...Yeah, I can't really see any for this chapter. It is THAT awesome.

An analysis of Chapter 8: Marlene, I think, is probably one of the best advisors on the show. Right next to Maurice and Private. She's level headed and smart. Which is why she didn't freak out that much. I think that having Dolly talk to her flipped the whole "She's really alive" thing on it's head. Because, think about it... One more animal knows that Dolly's alive and has become her friend. Friends do worry about each other, so it brings Marlene into whatever happens with her, Rico and Julien. I had Dolly make her decision in this chapter, but it won't be shown until chapter nine. Also, if you have or haven't noticed, she's stopped asking as many questions starting in the last chapter. I figured that, for her character development, she'd be a questioner, always trying to find out things. As she grows, she asks less questions, because she either knows the answers, or can figure out the answers on her own. That secret door can lead anywhere, so... apparently for this chapter, it goes to Marlene's house. Pros: Dolly finally makes her decision. Cons: The story's almost over and the reader's still confused about what that decision may be. GRRR!

An analysis of Chapter 9: "What Goes Around" was never a FAVORITE episode of mine, but it was a great episode. It was also DollyxRico heavy, which made it that much better because we don't get to see that very often. Now that Doll knows who she's going to choose, it's not a battle of how to tell him, it's when. Her hesitation in her decisions makes her who she is, but, if you haven't noticed, gets her into a lot of trouble. Doll has stopped asking questions (pretty much) and has instead chosen to give answers to the reader and herself, signifying her emergence into her own character. While reading this story, it's a steady climb of her development, taking, for lack of better words, dolly-steps into being real, in her own words. She doesn't consider herself to be real just yet, since she still has so much of herself to learn about and figure out. This chapter (and the next) actually has a song that goes with it, "What Hurts The Most" by Rascal Flatts, which is what this story was GOING to be called until I changed my ideas. If you read the story over with that title in mind, it actually makes a lot of sense, even if you don't know which guy is singing the song. Crazy, right? Pros: Finalization of Dolly's character development. Cons: Dolly has to be given away. It's a very sad chapter. As is Chapter 10. SOB!

An analysis of Chapter 10: Probably the shortest chapter of this story, chapter 10 ends it the way that most stories with tragic endings... well, end. With open possibilities for more. I love more. I'm such a Disney Princess. Anyway. As you'll see below, there are many plot points that I didn't close up, and for a reason: This is one of I believe TWO Dolly involved stories. The other one has Rico talking to Dolly, but she's basically a prop. And I know she's a doll, but COME ON! She's RICO'S doll, in a show where anything can happen! So I'm hoping to inspire people to keep any Rico/Doll stories going. Roll. Rill. DoCo. Whatever you wanna call it. Uhmm... analysis, right. The goodbye in the show was really WAY too short, and Dolly's heartbreak causes her spirit to break. But what causes a doll to come to life in the first place? A pondarance? Perhaps. Julien, I feel for him, I really do. And I would have LOVED to see the two of them together. The solo sun rise was pretty hard for me to write, crazy as it may sound, because I wasn't sure if it was all that important. But, if Doll had stayed, I think she would have watched it with him, whether they ended up together or not. So yes, sun rises are VERY important. Am I happy with the way it ended? ...HECK YAH! It's probably one of my favorite POM stories I've written. Not to mention, Dolly deserves love too. She's so underrated. Pros: Story's over. Cons: Sad ending.

Plot holes that need closing and other interesting tidbits: I didn't close these for a reason, or I simply forgot about them.

Marlene knows about Dolly being alive. She doesn't know about her plan, but she does hope that her and one of the males will get together and be happy.

Maurice and Mort do like her, they're all like family. They ALSO know about her being alive, but don't know she's gone at the end of the story.

Pappy knows EVERYTHING. He's never said which guy he prefers, though. He's always supportive of Dolly's choices, but does he have an opinion?

Did Rico ever talk to Julien about his thing with Dolly?

Julien is heartbroken and desperate. He knows they took Dolly somewhere, but... where?

What happens to dolls after their hearts break? Do they die, or does something else happen? If they DO die, can they be brought back?

How did Julien reach the conclusion that he was in love with Dolly? He had all day to think about it, true, but what was he thinking exactly?

The other penguins don't know that Dolly's alive. Had they known, would things have been different?

Does Rico sense anything different between this new doll and Dolly?


End file.
